A Writer’s Journal

My father died on this date in 1972. One never gets over it; one learns to live with it.

On a happier note, yesterday was just about the freelancer’s perfect day. Shot out of the house early to get on the road and drive about 45 minutes up-county to do my interview. The drive wasn’t bad — on a road I don’t usually like because it’s a pain. The cops were out in force — probably because of the woman who got on the Taconic Parkway a few days ago and drove TWO MILES the wrong way on the parkway before slamming into an SUV. Eight people were killed, four of them children, and included her. They still don’t know why — she wasn’t drunk and she had no underlying medical conditions, according to reports.

Anyway, the cops were out in force. They caught six speeders on the way up and one on the way back. I was grateful to them for grabbing one guy, in particular, in a white van. I saw the cops out, so I held to the top of the speed limit. This guy in a white van tries to crawl up my tail pipe. He’s flashing his lights and waving his fist at me. Whatever. I keep to the speed limit. He’s got plenty of lanes in which to pass me. So he goes onto the shoulder, passes me on the right, screaming and swearing at me as he passes, then cuts in front of me and slams on the brakes.

Fortunately, I was expecting it and managed to get out of the way. Even more fortunately, the whole thing went down in front of the State Police and they were all over his ass in seconds. Buh-bye. Enjoy your fine.

Like I said, the interview went very well. I like my interview subject a lot, and the interview gave me a slew of ideas for which I could use him as a source, so I’ll make notes on them and start pitching them to other markets, too.

I drove back down, had to stop at home because I forgot to mail the bills, drove to the Purchase post office to mail everything, and continued on to the gig in CT. Had a quick lunch and went to work. Their internet was down, which sort of slowed down the afternoon, but I managed to get everything done for them and get over to my friend’s place for dinner early.

I got a nice chunk of a big client project done at my friend’s place, wrote up notes for a story, and got an idea for a new series. Ideas tend to come in clusters for me, so I jot them all down, and then they take a spot in the queue.

I had dinner with my friend, came home, did five loads of laundry, and headed off to meditation. There was one guy thee who immediately starting questioning my training, my methods, etc. I was like, “Dude, this is meditation and you’re totally stressing me out!”

Once the meditation session started, it was fine. There were four of us and the leader. We did a sitting meditation, a walking meditation, and a sitting meditation. I was “the new person”, but I also had the least problem staying still. My mind may wander a bit here and there, but keeping my body still has never been an issue. Each of the three sessions felt like it went by like lightening. I loved it — and I loved the cushion I used. I don’t have a cushion when I sit at home, because I haven’t found one I like, but this was perfect. I’ll have to find out where they get them. I did walk into the wall at one point during the walking meditation. As the leader said, “It was bound to happen sooner or later; thank you for being the first.” Especially since I thought it was funny, and didn’t get upset. Hey, if we’re going to be one, we might as well include the wall, you know?

And when we discussed the day’s reading, I realized the aggressive guy really wasn’t that bad; he was just trying too hard. So, I think as long as I set boundaries, it won’t be a problem.

One thing the past set of workshops — whether they’re computer workshops or holistic workshops — has taught me over the past few months is that my life in the arts means I either don’t have or quickly dealt with a lot of these issues and obstacles that many of my fellow students have. I just plunge ahead, guided by passion and common sense, and don’t let other people dictate rules. I try to be considerate (I don’t always succeed there, I’m afraid), but I don’t let others define me. I wouldn’t have been able to spend my entire working life in the arts if I hadn’t been that stubborn and independent. I think it’s much harder for actors — they’re constantly defined by their roles, and have to constantly fight that.

It’ll be three weeks before I can go back — the leader’s out of town next week, and I’m working out of town the following week — but I’ll definitely be back.

The two people who talked me into going last night never showed up! Oh, well. I’ve even looked up and printed out some information we’d talked about. Either I see them again, or I don’t. Can’t get too worked up about it.

Came home, did my evening yoga session. Was too tired to type up my notes from the interview, so I’ll have to do it today, while it’s all still fresh.

I’ve got to take a load of stuff to storage before the bad storms break, take some paperwork over to CT for signatures, work on the big client project, and get in another writing session. I might take my writing with me when I go to storage and go to the library from there. I also want to type up my notes from the interview, and send some email questions to some sources. I also want to work on the magazine pitch and do some more work on a long-term proposal.

I had a decent writing session this morning — not great, but decent. I figured out the odd word backwards and forwards — it’s not the same thing in either direction, it just has to have a very specific meaning when it’s spelled forward and seem kind of odd, but still possible backwards.

I decided that, when I work out of town in an upcoming week, I’m going to take ANGEL HUNT with me, and that will be my main focus from the week. I think some uninterrupted work time on it without distractions, and I can get it out the door.

We’re supposed to get severe storms later in the day and, yet again, are on floodwatch, which means once the storms start, I’ll be dashing down to check the brook every hour or so, and trying to figure out when to move the car.

Gotta be productive until then.

Devon

1and1.com is having its daily problem — I can’t get into my email AT ALL. How am I supposed to run my business? I’ve had problems almost every day since MARCH. This is NOT acceptable. They used to be a reliable host with a good reputation, but the past year and change — forget it.

I think, when I have the new sites designed, I’ll use that opportunity to move hosts. It will probably be post-Prague, but there’s no reason for me to keep paying these guys when they don’t deliver.

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GWEN FINNEGAN MYSTERIES

Archaeologist Dr. Gwen Finnegan is on the hunt for her lover’s killer. Shy historical researcher Justin Yates, frustrated with his failing relationship, jumps at the chance to join her on a real adventure through Europe, pursued by factions including Gwen’s ex-lover and nemesis, Karl, as they try to unspool fact from fiction in a multi-generational obsession with a statue of the goddess Medusa.
Buy links here.

Stuck in NYC when plans for their next expedition fall through, Gwen and Justin accept teaching jobs at different local universities. Adjusting to their day-to-day relationship, and juggling the academic and emotional demands of their students, they are embroiled in two different, disturbing, paranormal situations that have more than one unusual crossing point. Can they work together to find the answers? Or are new temptations too much to resist? For whom are they willing to put their lives on the line? Available on multiple digital channels here.

NAUTICAL NAMASTE MYSTERIES

SAVASANA AT SEA

Yoga instructor Sophie Batchelder jumps at the chance to teach on a cruise ship when she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her in the same day. But when her boss is murdered, and the crew thinks she's taking over her predecessor's blackmail scheme, Sophie must figure out who the real killer is -- before he turns her into a corpse, too. A Not-Quite-Cozy Mystery.
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COVENTINA CIRCLE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

PLAYING THE ANGLES
Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide as Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane fight to protect the Vice President of the United States -- or is it Morag who needs Simon’s protection more than the VP?
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THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY
Bonnie Chencko knows books change lives. But she never expected her life to change because she happened to duck into a small bookshop in Greenwich Village on a rainy late November night. She’s attracted to Rufus Van Dijk, the mysterious man who owns the bookshop in his ancestors’ building. A building filled with family ghosts, who are mysteriously disappearing. It’s up to Bonnie and her burgeoning Craft powers to rescue the spirits before their souls are lost forever. Buy Links here.

RELICS & REQUIEM
Amanda Breck’s complicated life gets more convoluted when she finds the body of Lena Morgan in Central Park, identical to Amanda’s dream. Detective Phineas Regan is one case away from retirement; the last thing he needs is a murder case tinged by the occult. The seeds of their attraction were planted months ago, when Phineas investigated an attack on Amanda’s friend Morag. Now, fate is determined to draw them close. But can they work together to stop a wily, vicious killer, or will the murderer destroy them both?
Buy link here.

THE JAIN LAZARUS ADVENTURES

Hex Breaker by Devon Ellington. A Jain Lazarus Adventure. Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, teaming with tough, practical Detective Wyatt East on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts.
This series will re-release in 2020.
Visit the site for the Jain Lazarus adventures.</a

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois is included in this wonderful collection of short stories and poetry. You can download it free here.